Many of the people that commented on my previous blog and on Facebook told stories of pain, confusion and mismanagement, and it's clear that 525 words on a social networking website isn't enough.

EQC should host community meetings on apportionment (and other topics). Get 500 people in a room and explain in granular detail what's going on. For example, according to Bruce, the most practical way to apportion unassessed damage is "to look at what happened in the houses around your one, and what proportions of damage they suffered".

OK, how wide is this net? Homes on my short Mount Pleasant lane suffered miniscule damage before Feb 22 (in my case, a cracked patio that isn't insured by EQC). Now, almost solely because of February 22, at least two homes on the street are potentially heading for demolition, at least four are caught in apportionment, one is reportedly uninsured, and one is already repaired by Fletcher (lucky sods).

Seems to me that EQC should apportion the whole lane at the same time (next week is good), but EQC's call centre told my wife last week that a neighbourhood approach isn't being used. This true? How are priorities set - alphabetically, easy first/hard later, foundation category? (Mount Pleasant's foundation category is grey by the way.)

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On the other hand, tell me please that the already-repaired neighbour will be apportioned, ohh, next February and that the folks out in Harewood will be apportioned next March.

If workshops don't appeal, EQC could use video. Check out Dr Jan Kupec updating orange-zoned Southshore residents in an 8min30sec video posted May 15 (thanks CERA). The video, by the way, is a recap of a CERA meeting held for Southshore residents in April, so CERA managed a meeting and a video.

It's never too late for EQC to follow it's more nimble cousins. Christchurch City Council chief executive Tony Marryatt popped up in The Press this week to explain he's hiring staff to process the threefold increase in planning applications that are expected in coming years. Council also has Mayor Bob and 13 councillors explaining and responding, CERA has Roger Sutton, Dr Kupec and others, central government has Brownlee, sometimes the Prime Minister and other ministers when their portfolios allow. EQC's public face is ... a call centre.

Here's why this information matters. Bruce Emson's Facebook post includes this statement: "Any process we develop has to meet with agreement from the other parties financially involved - the insurers and the reinsurers." Hold on, I'm financially involved, and so is Angela Hamilton and every other apportioned customer. My financial share is about $112,000 and perhaps more. This is bread molecules to EQC, but a whacking great amount to me. C'mon EQC communicate.